Taking Off from a Grass Runway
What learning to fly taught me about creating calm in healthcare
When I was a teenager learning to fly, I spent my summers at an aviation camp nestled in the Adirondacks, taking off from a small grass runway cut into an open field. Compared to Westchester County Airport—where I also trained and navigated bustling traffic patterns filled with corporate jets—this grass strip felt primitive and simple, but also welcoming and calm.
At Westchester, every flight felt busy and stressful. Radio calls came fast and constant. Distractions were everywhere. But at that quiet grass runway, flying felt simpler. There were fewer distractions, less noise, and more space to breathe. And even though the skills I practiced were the same, the environment changed my entire experience.
Today, as you try to improve the stressful environment of your healthcare or assisted living facility, you might feel like you're stuck at Westchester: noisy, chaotic, and pressured. You may have tried countless solutions—improved communication, rearranging spaces, adding distractions—yet calm and comfort still feel elusive.
What if creating calm didn't require massive overhauls or costly solutions, but instead something as simple as changing your visual environment?
Research shows that introducing soothing, nature-inspired imagery into healthcare spaces can dramatically reduce stress and anxiety for patients and staff alike. These small changes can lead to big results—transforming your stressful, busy "airport" into a calm, welcoming "grass runway."
That's exactly why I founded Soothing Scapes: to help you create environments that offer comfort and calm, simply and affordably.
If you're ready to make your facility feel more like a peaceful landing strip rather than a hectic hub, let's connect.
Visit Soothing Scapes to see how we can help you find your own calm runway.
Rooted in service, calm and healing, Emory